Folding table



April 28, 1925. 5 1,535,682

R. H. PLATT, JR

FOLDING TABLE Filed @pril 25, 1923 INVENTORH ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 28, 1925.

UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE; T

RUTHERFORD ii. PLA'r'r, Ja, F GARDEN cirxnnw YORK.

FOLDING Application filed April 25,

To all whom it may concern: i

Be known that I, RUTHERFO D H. PLAT'L, Jr., a citizen of the United States, andresident of Garden City, in the county of Nassau and State of New York, have in- Ventedja new and useful Improvement in Folding Tables, of which the following is a specification. 1 p l a My invention is directedvto novelv means r pivoting the legs to the table top, whereby the/legs are au ton'iatically brought into frictional engagement with the table top as they are unfolded and folded, one or 4 both, to hold thelegs in such position against f unintentional dlsplaoement; means being employed, if. so desired, for limiting theunfolding movement of the legs and for seouringthe legs in their unfolded position. My invention more particularly comprises corner braoketssecured to the table top, to eachof :which brackets a leg is pivoted by providing the bracketmwith oppositely arranged sockets and by providing the leg with a pivotscrew-threaded into said sockets, so5that as the leg is swung into its unfolded position, the pivot will be unscrewed slightly from one socket and screwed slight .ly further into the oppositesocket to move the leg bodily laterally for bringing one side of the leg into frictional engagement with its adjacent socket sufficient to retain the leg inits unfolded position against unintentional displacement. In swinging the leg into its folded position along the underside of the table top, thescrew pivot will reverse its movement for bringing the op posite side of the leg into frictional engagement with its adjacent socket for retaining the leg in its folded position against unintentional displacement. The bracket may be provided'with a stop for limiting theun folding movement of the leg and the stop may be provided with means, such as a screw, arranged to be screwed into the leg when the leg is ,in its unfolded position for securing the leg rigidly to the said stop.

A. practical embodiment of my invention is represented in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 represents a detail section taken in the plane of the line II of Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 represents a detail inverted plan View of the table top at one corner thereof with the leg secured in its unfolded position.

1 construction. The folclable table legs 3 (one TABLE.

1923. Serial no. 634,511.

i "Fig. 3 represents a detail section taken in i the plane of the line IIIIII of Fig. 1. 1

Fig. 4: represents a detailinverted plan view at one corner of the table top with the leg. shown in its folded position.

1 3.0 Fig. 5 represents a detailsection like Fig. 3 with the leg inits folded position.

The table top 1 and its surrounding frame 2 may be of any well known or approved of which only is represented iirthe accomp'anying drawings) are hinged to the table top as follows v w i J A corner bracket 4 isseeured to the table top frame2, adjacent to the underside of the table top at each oorner of the table as, for instance, by screws 5. This corner a bracket is provided with a pair of oppositely arranged sockets 6, 7. i i

.The leg 3 is provided with a pivot 8 se cured thereto, as, for instance, by-a pin 19 the projecting ends of which pivot 1 are scre w-threaded into their respective sockets 6 and 7. The width of the leg at its pivot end isyslightly less than the distance be,- tween the faces of, the sockets 6,37, so that as the leg is swung into its unfolded and folded positions, one side or the other sidie of the leg will be broughtii'nto frictional engagement with its adjacentsocket b bodily lateral movement ofthe leg, the unscrewing of the pivot 8 fi m ss socket and the screwingof the pivot a little further into the. other socket. "Thevparts are so proportioned that tl1e"frict,ionalen gagement between the leg and. the facesef the sockets will besuificient t0.'l10ld the leg in either its unfolded or folded positions against unintentional displacement;

.To limit the unfolding movement of the leg, the bracket i is provided witha de pending arm 10 against which the leg is swung in its unfolded position.

If sodesired, the leg may be rigidly secured in its unfolded position by suitable 10 meanssuch, for instance, as the thumb screw i 11, the shank of which is adapted to screw into] a recess 12 inthe leg 3, to lock the leg against the depending arm 10.

If so desired, suitable friction washers 13, 14 may be introduced around the projecting ends 'of the pivot between the opposite sides of the leg and the adjacent sockets of the bracket.

It is evident that various changes may be able legs therefor, and means for pivoting the legs to the top, operable to bring the legs bodily late-rally with respect to their swinging movement into frictional engagement with the top as the legs are folded.

8. A folding table comprising a top, fold able legs therefor, and means for pivoting the legs to the top, operable to bring the legs bodily laterally with respect to their swinging movement into frictional engagement with the top as the legs are unfolded,

and means for securing the legs in their unfolded position.

44. A folding table eomprisingto top, foldable legs therefor, corner brackets having oppositely arranged sockets, and screws secured to the legs and threaded into said sockets whereby the legs are moved bodily laterally with respect to their swinging movement into frictional engagement with the sockets as the legs are unfolded.

5. A folding table comprising a top, foldabl'e legs therefor, corner brackets having oppositely arranged sockets, and screws se cured to the legs and threaded into said sockets whereby the legs are moved bodily laterally with respect to their swinging movement into frictional engagement with the sockets as the legs are folded.

(5. A folding table con'iprising a top, foldable legs therefor, corner brackets. having oppositely arrange-d sockets, screws secured to the legs and threaded into said sockets whereby the legs, are movedbodily laterally with respect to their swinging movement into frictional engagementwith the sockets as the legs are unfolded, and devices an ried by the brackets for securing the legs in their unfolded position, thereto.

7. A folding table comprising a top including a top frame, corner brackets secured to the top frame, each of said brackets having a pair of oppositely arranged sockets and a depending arm, foldable legs,

folded position for secmi'mg the leg to the bracket.

8. A folding table comprising a topincluding a top frame, corner brackets secured to the top frame, each of said brackets having a pair of oppositely arranged sockets and a depending arm, foldable legs, and a screw secured to each leg and threaded into its pair of sockets whereby the leg is brought into frictional engagement Withthe one or the other of said sockets as the leg is unfolded or folded, a screw carried by said depending arm of the bracket in position toengage the leg when in its unfolded position for securing the leg to the bracket, and friction washers surrounding the screw and located between the opposite sides of the leg and the adjacent faces of the sockets.

9-. A folding table comprising a topin cluding a top frame, corner brackets scoured to the top frame, each of said braclr ets having a pair of oppositely arranged sockets, foldable legs, a screw secured to each leg and threaded into its pair of sockets whereby the leg is moved laterally into frictional engagement with the one or the other of the sockets as the leg is unfolded or folded, and friction washers surrounding the screw and located between theopposite sides of the leg and the adjacent faces of the sockets.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have signed i'ny name this 18th day of April, 1923.

RUTHERFORD H. PLATT. JR. 

